portunity; win your duel, and Clan Levva
will send a delegation to investigate the desirability of acknowledging
the citizenship you say is ours by right."

Medart let his relief show. "That's all I ask, Clan-chief." Sandemans
thought a lot more alike than their standard-human cousins; if one was
willing to make such a concession, most others would too. And the few
that wouldn't immediately would probably change their minds as soon as
they saw the benefits of Imperial citizenship. Of course, that still
left him with the problem of winning the duel . . .

* * * * *

If he had to fight a duel, Medart thought, at least he had a good day
for it. The weather at Vader clanhome was clear and sunny, the
temperature a comfortable twenty degrees as he stood waiting for his
opponent in the outdoor practice arena. And he was in uniform; Ryan
had brought one from his courier ship--even had it tailored for his
weight loss--in case he needed it as his ceremonials.

He'd taken the drugs that would bring him as close as possible for a
standard human to the Sandeman battleprepped state. He was keyed up,
unnaturally alert, sensitive to every movement around him, and eager to
get on with the duel. It was mildly amusing to see that the Sandemans
gave him the same cautious respect he'd give a battleprepped warrior;
maybe the drugs brought him closer to that state than he'd thought.

It seemed like hours before he heard, then saw, the boxy transport
null-grav craft bringing his opponent. That, in his edgy condition,
was more of a relief than the threat he'd expected to feel. The
transport landed outside the arena, too far away for him to recognize
the clan-arms, and he briefly regretted not asking who he was going to
be fighting. Not that the information would have been much help, he
thought; he'd prepared as much as he could, whoever it was.

The group of warriors escorting his opponent entered the arena through
the gate at the far end from where Medart stood with a group from
Vader, and stopped. "Now," Medart heard Ryan say.

He stepped forward, accompanied by Ryan and Kelly, at the same time a
trio of the newcomers did the same. They were to meet in the center of
the arena for formal introductions, then separate to about three meters
for the duel itself--but Medart came to a shocked halt as soon as he
was close enough to recognize the central member of the other party.
The Sandeman's familiar t